Child Stars: Why Do They Die So Young?

Corey Haim. Best known for his role in "The Lost Boys," but he also turned in memorable performances in "Lucas" and "License to Drive."

He's dead now.. at 38. And this one does not appear to be a drug overdose.

If you saw another television series of his, "My Two Coreys," you would have watched a deeply troubled young man in the run of that reality show. Corey Haim was extremely distraught about his inability to jump start his film career as he entered his 30s. He weighed too much, had trouble seeing, and offered sad descriptions about losing his money, and losing his fight to stop using cocaine and painkillers.

Sadly, you can now add Corey Haim to a long list of child television and film stars who just can't seem to keep it together after their series and films have "wrapped." Add him to the list including Andrew Koenig of "Growing Pains," found dead in Vancouver's Stanley Park around Olympics time. Some of them survive. Like MacKenzie Phillips of "One Day at a Time," but you already know about the strange sexual relationship she had with her father. Then there's Gary Coleman, "Arnold" of "Diff'rent Strokes" who recently suffered a seizure on the set with Dr. Drew Pinsky, who treated Coleman for his recurring problem. Coleman also has a dangerous recurring problem of beating up and threatening women.

Expressions of grief about Haim came from Alyssa Milano of "Who's the Boss?" and "Charmed." A young woman who appears to have a strong grip on continuing her career. She joined stars like "Karate Kid" Ralph Macchio and "Married With Children's" Christina Applegate, who talked about the loss of Corey Haim in their tweets on Twitter Wednesday.

"So sad," says Christina.

Is this really something we chalk up to being just one of those things when kids go Hollywood? Please share your thoughts with us about his loss, and your opinions on why child stars who entertained us when we were young.. seem doomed to die much younger than most of us. Ralph

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